The cervical spine is the most mobile region of the spinal column, supporting the weight of the head while allowing a wide range of motion. This mobility makes it particularly vulnerable to degeneration, injury, and chronic pain conditions.
Neck pain can originate from multiple structures: the cervical discs that cushion the vertebrae, the facet joints that guide neck motion, the muscles and ligaments that stabilize the head, or the nerve roots that exit the spine to supply the shoulders and arms.
Age-related degeneration (cervical spondylosis) is the most common cause of chronic neck pain, affecting the majority of adults over 60. Traumatic injuries like whiplash can damage facet joints and soft tissues, sometimes leading to chronic pain that persists long after the initial injury. Herniated cervical discs can compress nerve roots, causing radiating pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms and hands.
Many neck pain patients also experience headaches — particularly from upper cervical facet joint dysfunction, which refers pain to the back of the head. Accurately distinguishing between cervical headache, tension headache, and migraine is essential for effective treatment.
Dr. Bhakta's diagnostic approach uses clinical examination, imaging review, and when needed, diagnostic nerve blocks to pinpoint the precise cervical structure causing your pain before recommending treatment.
Cervical joint inflammation causing stiffness, aching, and reduced range of motion.
A pinched nerve in the neck causing pain, numbness, or weakness radiating into the arm.
Age-related neck degeneration affecting discs, joints, and bones of the cervical spine.
Breakdown of neck discs causing pain, stiffness, and potential nerve compression.
Inflammation of neck facet joints causing pain with head rotation and cervicogenic headaches.
Neck disc herniation pressing on nerves, causing arm pain and numbness.
Narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck, potentially compressing the spinal cord.
Neck injury from rapid head motion, commonly from auto accidents, causing persistent pain.
Board-Certified Interventional Pain Specialist
Fellowship trained in Pain Medicine at Vanderbilt University. Board Certified for decades. Formerly served as Associate Professor at OU School of Medicine. Serving Tulsa since 2000.
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